People will be able to go to their local chemist in England this autumn and get on-the-spot treatment for 12 common conditions without going to their GP first.
Pharmacists can already prescribe medication for seven conditions – sore throat, earache, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected bites and urinary tract infections.
Five more – migraines, acne, scabies, ear infections and badly blocked noses – are now also being added to that list.
NHS England said the move was to ease pressure on busy GPs and A&E departments while making sure people could get treatment quickly and conveniently.
After a very hot summer and three of the busiest months on record in A&Es in England, the NHS says it wants to make it as easy as possible for people to get help when they need it for everyday conditions.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said people were “fed up with the scramble for routine appointments” and wanted help close to home, with no more taking time off work or waiting to get seen.
“For five more common conditions, you’ll be able to walk into your local pharmacy and get treated on the spot,” he said.
Mr Burnham said families would feel the change, and the plan would give people back “precious time”.
The five conditions which can now also be treated via pharmacies are:
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low frequency migraines in adults
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hay fever or allergic rhinitis in children
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ear infections in adults
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mild to moderate acne in young people and adults
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mild skin infections and scabies
That’s in addition to these seven:
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sore throat
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sinusitis
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earache
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insect bites
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impetigo
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shingles
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uncomplicated UTIs
Initially, a few hundred chemists will offer treatments for the five new conditions, NHS England says.
There will be a gradual rollout and the service will eventually be available at thousands of community NHS pharmacies across England.
Community pharmacies also offer support with healthy eating, exercise, stopping smoking, monitoring your blood pressure, contraception, flu and Covid vaccinations.
The charity the Migraine Trust said it was delighted by the news after calling for more help for migraine care in pharmacies.
Chief executive Rob Music said having this support for people with migraine through their local pharmacy was “a wonderful opportunity for a faster and improved care pathway”.
Dr Amanda Doyle, director for primary care and community services at NHS England, said she wanted to make sure that patients can get as much support as possible in their communities, “so they do not have to be admitted to hospital unnecessarily”.
But bodies representing pharmacies across England have consistently said that the funding provided by the goverment does not cover the workload for the new plans.
“Pharmacies are still under significant financial pressures,” said Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association.
“This shows why the government should go much further and invest in our pharmacy network that has the power to transform people’s experience of everyday health issues.”
The Pharmacy First scheme started in England in 2024. NHS figures suggest it has delivered 14 million consultations since then, including two million appointments for sore throats and 1.7 million for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
People can be referred to their local pharmacy via NHS111 or by their GP, or just go direct to their high street chemist.
Scotland has a scheme which was seen as the model for England’s Pharmacy First – Northern Ireland and Wales also have systems allowing pharmacies to treat patients with certain conditions.
Patients can be treated for 27 different conditions at chemists in Scotland.
